MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Hundreds attended a job and resource fair in Martinsburg Monday hosted by WorkForce West Virginia and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D, W.Va.).
More than 100 companies and organizations took information from job seekers throughout the four hour long event at the Foxcroft Towne Center.
Manchin said there is an obvious demand from employers in West Virginia.
“Everyone I talk to, they’re all hiring,” Manchin told WV MetroNews affiliate WEPM. “We just need more workers who want to work.”
The fair also featured tools to help job seekers develop their careers such as GetReady Resources, as well as a MilitaryZone, which will provided information about getting an education through the military, or the military service academies.
Manchin said WorkForce West Virginia was instrumental in the fair and in continuing to help put West Virginians to work.
“They’re working every day trying to place West Virginians, and people in surrounding states, Maryland and Virginia, in the best jobs we can.”
One of the big draws at the fair was Procter & Gamble, the company building a manufacturing site in the Tabler Station Business Park in South Berkeley County with the promise of hundreds of new jobs.
Human Resources Department leader for the new site Ryan Moore said the posting for new jobs was posted again Monday morning, just in time for the fair.
He said they plan to hire 300 people by this time next fall.
“Depending on the business need by month and when we need to be hiring we’ll make the decision on what the amount is at that time,” he said.
The applications they collect now are to be reviewed in January.
Moore said they will start hiring in late winter or early spring.
Another new company looking to hire a total of 140 people was there as well.
Area Manager of the new Chili’s restaurant in Martinsburg Bill Libby said Martinsburg is the place to be.
“This economy is booming right now with the Procter and Gamble coming in, the mall being revamped and reimaged,” he said. “We want to be a part of it.”
Libby said they are looking for another 100 employees before they open in two weeks.
Manchin said despite a steady flow Monday there are challenges to overcome, including an epidemic of drugs that prevent many from entering the workforce.
“We’ve got to start getting this population clean,” Manchin said.
He hopes to pass legislation to help fund increased rehabilitation and educational outreach programs with a once-cent tax per milligram of prescribed narcotics.
Manchin said it could put more than $1 billion into such efforts.